The invention relates to an apparatus for toasting bread and the like, comprising a housing with at least one slot which issues into a toasting space in which products to be toasted can be accommodated, heater elements being arranged on either side of said space and each cooperating with a reflector arranged behind the respective element for reflecting radiation in the direction of the toasting space.
Apparatuses for toasting bread and the like are domestic appliances which have been known for a long time. Toasting of bread takes place therein by means of radiation heat which is supplied to the bread from heater elements arranged on either side of the toasting space. The heater elements are usually formed by incandescent wires which are wound around an insulating plate or by a glass-ceramic tube with a helically wound incandescent wire at the inside or outside thereof.
A problem with these appliances is that the toasting space cannot be cleaned, or with great difficulty only. The only opening is the slot for the introduction of the bread to be toasted. Bread crumbs, indeed mainly the larger bread crumbs can be removed through this opening in that the entire appliance is turned upside down and is shaken.
It is an object of the invention to provide an apparatus for toasting bread which is easy to clean.
This object is achieved in that at least part of the housing is provided on a base part in a detachable manner. The toasting space is made readily accessible and can be easily cleaned in that said part of the housing is removed. In addition, certain components present in the toasting space may now be made removable, so that these components, such as reflectors and grille elements, can be cleaned more easily.
A wish has long been felt to render the toasting process visible from the outside so that the user can view the toasting process directly with his own eyes. A further embodiment of the apparatus is accordingly characterized in that said detachable part of the housing is transparent. It is to be noted that an apparatus for toasting bread and the like is known from FR 2707858 whose side walls and upper wall are manufactured from glass. These walls, however, are not removable, and a reflector of very small vertical dimensions is provided behind each of the heater elements so as to safeguard a better view of the product in the toasting space. This has the result that indeed the view of the product to be toasted is obstructed in the central portion of the toasting space only and that the rest of the product remains visible. A disadvantage of this known toaster is that the end walls of the apparatus are closed for the purpose of accommodating therein a motion mechanism and supply wiring for supplying an electric current to the heater elements, whereby the view of the product to be toasted is partly blocked out again. In addition, the pollution of components in the toasting space has now become visible, for which the cited document offers no solution.
An embodiment which is to be used by preference is characterized in that the housing is formed by a cloche which is manufactured from a transparent material on all sides and which surrounds the toasting space. A practically unhampered view of the product to be toasted is safeguarded thereby. The browning process can be well observed from all sides. The browning process always involves a certain amount of pollution which deposits itself on the base part and on the inside of the cloche. It is accordingly of major importance that the cloche and the base part with other constructional parts of the toaster thereon can be cleaned. This is achieved in that the cloche is placed on the base part in a detachable manner.
Another disadvantage of the toaster of FR 2707858 is the small vertical dimension of the reflector, which has the result that the browning process takes place very unevenly. This disadvantage can be counteracted in a further embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention in that the reflectors each extend over substantially the entire height and width of the toasting space, and in that the reflectors are manufactured from a transparent material. It is also achieved by means of the transparent reflectors that the view of the product being toasted is optimized. The reflectors and the cloche may be manufactured from glass.
It is to be noted that toasters provided with a window in one or both of their side walls are known per se, for example from WO 97/24967, GB 2013874, and FR 2050772. In these known toasters, the windows are generally of so small dimensions that a good view of the product being toasted is not or substantially not possible. Further disadvantages of these known toasters are that their construction is comparatively complicated and that these toasters tend to become comparatively hot on the outside during use. No measures are taken in the known toasters for cleaning thereof, which is of major importance especially for toasters made from a transparent material.
To ensure that a major portion of the heat generated by the heater elements is radiated towards the product to be toasted, according to a further embodiment of the invention, the reflectors and/or the wall of the cloche are/is provided with a transparent, infrared-reflecting coating. Such a coating may be formed, for example, by a transparent layer of a metal or a metal oxide such as, preferably, tin oxide. Such coatings, which are known per se, have the advantage that the heat radiation is reflected in the direction of the toasting space, so that the outside of the cloche remains at an acceptable temperature in every case, while these coating layers are so thin as to be transparent, whereby a good view of the products being toasted and of the browning process is safeguarded. The coatings are preferably provided on the inner wall of the cloche and on the sides of the reflectors facing towards the toasting space.
In a further embodiment, the reflectors each have a concave shape such that the radiation of the preferably rod-shaped heater elements is distributed evenly over the product to be toasted, whereby a good, homogeneous browning of the products to be toasted is guaranteed. The reflectors may then together with grille elements for centering the products to be toasted be fastened with some pivoting possibility on the heater elements by means of a connection which is preferably detachable. This has the advantage that, upon closing of the toaster, the heater elements with the reflectors provided thereon will move towards the bread to be toasted and will lie correctly against it. In another embodiment, the reflectors and/or the grille elements may be positioned detachably and/or tiltably on the base part.